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reward yourself

I was all hyped up last night for today. I was going to get up early and get some work done. I just KNEW I would get up on time, I’d fix myself a nice pot of coffee, add some caramel macchiato creamer, get comfy on my couch, and rip through all the assignments I had due this week.

Turns out, I overslept by an hour and a half. Groggy, I made my way to the kitchen, let pup out of his bed, put his harness on him, opened the door, and, ta-da! It’s pouring the rain. I fumbled with my pup’s raincoat, got it around him, hooked him up to his cable, and set him loose.

I trudged through my morning routine, made it back to the door to let pup back in the house, and through the door he runs, shaking the rain across my apartment all the way. Still, my day isn’t going so bad.

I get ready to leave the house, make it to my car, and run to a nearby town so I can go to Hobby Lobby and a few other places. As I make it through the aisles, the rain starts coming down harder, the parking lot begins to get flooded in a few areas, and as I leave, I soak my shoes in the puddles.

Back in my car on the way home, I almost rear-end someone who decides to slam on their brakes in the pouring rain. I go off to the side a little because my brakes don’t seem to be stopping quick enough and, while I manage to avoid hitting the car, I do end up hitting the curb a bit. I’m not sure what it did to my car because I’m afraid to look, but the sound of it didn’t seem so great.

I get home, set my drink on top of the car as I get my bags out of the backseat, and all of a sudden, although my umbrella is protecting me from the rain, I am suddenly soaked. My drink had fallen off the top of my car and landed on me and the backseat of my car. Lovely. And the day has just barely begun.

I’m doing my best, however, not to let the dreary day get to me. My Mondays aren’t usually this bad, but they could be a whole lot worse. So, in order to spread the cheer, I’ve come up with a few ways to get rid of your “Rainy Monday Blues.” I hope they help you.

Watch the rain on the window. Remember when you were a kid and you would be in the car staring out the window as rain fell outside? Go back to that time, pick a couple drops running down the window, and try to pick which one will win the race to the bottom.

Dress up. I know that your mood may say you should be in comfy sweatpants and an oversized sweater, but dressing up always boosts my mood. If you need a little confidence boost, people will likely be giving you more compliments than usual when you dress up on a Monday because everyone else will be dressed to fit their mood. Try a pop of color to add a little extra cheer.

Play with a puppy. I’m pretty sure there’s plenty of research that says puppies relieve stress and make people more cheerful. What else will make you feel better faster than a cute, fluffy puppy who will give you tons of love and kisses? If you don’t have a puppy or know someone with one, then head to a shelter or pet store and play with them there.

Go to the gym. This one always works for me if I can manage to get myself there. Exercise helps your endorphin levels – a.k.a. it makes you feel good. Don’t feel like being around people? Try one of those fitness regimens that do not require any equipment. If you’re pressed for time, there are always five- or ten-minute routines you can try!

Reward yourself for making it through your Monday. What do you enjoy? Chocolate? Movies? Both? Reward yourself for making it through your Monday (or even during a break for not losing it by that point in the day) by giving yourself something you love. If you have a favorite movie, watch it. Been craving a brownie? You deserve it. Make Mondays work for you.

No matter what you do to make your Monday better, just remember: the weekend is only 4 days away!

Do you have some other way of beating rainy Mondays? Let me know in the comments below!

Photos:
“A Case of the Mondays” taken by Volkan Olmez. Available on unsplash.com
“Sail Away” taken by Hugo Kerr. Available on unsplash.com